Elevated electric railway.



P. T. THURBER.

BLBVATBD BLBUTRIC RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

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F. T. THURBER.

BLBVATED ELECTRIC RAILWAY. vAPPLIOATION FILED JUNE 23, 1911.

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FRED T. THURBER, 0F RED LION, COLORADO.

ELEVATED ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

terasse.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Application filed .Tune 23, 1911. Serial No. 634,849.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FRED T. THURBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Red Lion, in the county of Logan and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Elevated Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to railway structures, and more particularly to the class of elevated electric railroads. A

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a railway in which the necessity of grading the roadwbed is obviated, when erecting the railway track over a predetermined course, and such tracks will be supported upon trestling which possesses the requisite strength and rigidity to sustain the loads of trains when traveling upon the track.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a railway in which the car or cars will be prevented from jumping the track, and that will obtain motive power from a current rail disposed medially between the tracks and below the plane thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a railway which is simple in construction, strong, durable, reliable and efficient in operation, and inexpensive in the erection and installation thereof.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter' more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a railway constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3u?) of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through the railway. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the retaining devices for the car.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the railway comprises spaced foundation or base blocks 5, the same being embedded within the ground 6, and are preferably constructed from cement, although the same 11 which cross each other and engage in inwardly extending lugs 12, formed on sleeves 18 surrounding the posts 7 and liXed thereto near their lower ends, the sleeves 13 being spaced a short distance from the foundation blocks 5. Engaged at the crossing points of the brace rods 11 is a coupling 14 which prevents the separation of the said brace rods or any displacement thereof at the crossing points of the same.

Formed on the castings are split bearings 15, through which are passed longitudinal reinforcing rods 16, the same being disposed horizontally and in spaced relation to each other throughout the length of the track, the bearings 15 being clamped about the said reinforcing rods 16 in any suitable manner to prevent any longitudinal or lateral displacement. thereof.

Suitably bolted or otherwise fixed to the castings S are angle irons 17, the upturned flange portions of which form vertical webs 18 for supporting inverted angle-iron shaped track rails 19, the horizontal flange portions of which extend outwardly from and in reverse directions with respect to the horizontal inturned portions of the angle irons 17, the vertical portions of the track rails 19 being bolted or otherwise secured to vertical webs 18 of the said angle irons 17, and

upon the said rails is adapted to travel the car or cars of a train.

Spanning the spaces between the posts or uprights 7, at intervals throughout the track, are V-shaped supporting irons 20, the ends of which are bolted or otherwise secured in inwardly directed downwardly converging extensions 21 formed on the castings 8, and fixed medially to the said supporting bars 20 is an electric current rail 22 which lies below the plane of the rails 19 and parallel therewith.

Upon the track rails 19 is adapted to travel a car or cars, each comprising a truck 23, from which depend front and rear axle bearings 24, the same being fixed to the truck in any suitable manner, and in which are journaled supporting axles 25, the same having fixed thereto, near opposite ends, flanged car wheels 26, which travel upon the track rails 19, the ends of the axles 25 being engaged in the usual axle boxes 27, from which depend retaining brackets 28, the same being formed with inturned ends 29, in which are mounted the shanks 30 of forks 31, in which are journaled friction rollers 32, the latter being adapted to contact with the under faces of the outturned flange portions of the track rails 19, the friction rollers 32 being held in constant contact with the flange portions of the said track rails by means of coiled expansion springs 33, surrounding the shanks 30 of the said forks 31, and these Shanks carry at their free ends adjusting nuts 34, which work against the inturned ends 29 of the brackets 28, the said shanks being engaged in suitable apertures formed in the said inturned ends 29 of the said brackf ets for positive connection therewith.

Mounted upon the car truck and depending therefrom is an inverted trolley pole 35, which is of any ordinary well-known construction, and carries the usual trolley wheel 36 at its forked end, the trolley wheel 36 being adapted to travel upon the current rail 22, the current from the latter being conveyed to a motor (not shown) located within the car, whereby the said car may be caused to travel upon the track rails, as usual. It will be evident that the trolley wheel 36 will not jump the current rail 22, nor will the car wheels 2G become derailed during the travel of the car, either at high or low speed. It is also evident that the railway may be erected, without requiring the grading of the ground, as usual.

Fixed to the castings 8 and to the sleeves 13 in any suitable manner are angularly disposed brace bars 37, which are designed to strengthen the railway, so that the same may withstand strains and heavy loads.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway comprising a plurality of upwardly converging posts, foundation blocks anchoring the lower ends of said posts, castings fitted upon the upper ends of the posts, sleeves surrounding the posts near their lower ends, brace rods connected with the castings and the said sleeves, longitudinal reinforcing rods engaged in the castings and disposed in spaced parallel relation to each other, V-shaped supports connected with the castings, an electric current rail mounted medially upon said support-s, and track rails supported by the castings.

2. A railway comprising a plurality of upwardly converging posts, foundation blocks anchoring the lower ends of said posts, castings fitted upon the upper ends of the posts, sleeves surrounding the posts near their lower ends, brace rods connected with the castings and the said sleeves, longitudinal reinforcing rods engaged in the castings and disposed in spaced parallel relation to each other, V-shaped supports connected with the castings, an electric currentrail mounted medially upon said supports, track rails supported by the castings, and means adapted to be carried by a car truck and engageable with the under face of the treads of the track rails for securing such car upon the said track.

3. The combination with railway rails, of a skeleton structure supporting said rails elevated from the ground, substantially V- shaped supporting members mounted in the skeleton structure below the plane of the rails, a current rail fixed medially on said supporting members, a car having its wheels movable upon the rails, means on the car and engageable with the under face of the treads of the rails for preventing the jumping of the wheels from the rails, and a trolley device depending from the car and engageable with the current rail.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED T. THURBER. Witnessesz l/V. F. ALEXANDER, C. W. KREAGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

